NUMBER SEVENTEEN (17-1)

1. Introduction

a) In the Bible the number 17 signifies "vanquishing the enemy" and "complete victory in Christ." During the days of Noah, God vanquished rebellious mankind by the flood which He began on the 17th day of 2nd month. The ark came to rest on the 17th day of the 7th month. Jesus was victorious over death when God raised Him from the dead on the 17th day of the first month. It is interesting to note what other mention(s) for 17 can be found in the Bible.

2. Seventeen and spiritual perfection

a) We see a beautiful illustration of 17's perfection in Romans 8:35-39. Romans 8, which concludes the first great division of that all-important Epistle, sums up the blessings of those who are dead and risen in Christ. First we have a series of seven, then a series of ten. The seven are marked off by being put in the form of a question, while the ten are given as the answer to it.

b) Romans 8:35 asks "What shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Holy Bible in Its Original Order - A Faithful Version (HBFV)). The answer is given as a series of seven in the rest of the verse "Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?"

c) The apostle Paul then states in verses 38-39 a series of 10 things that cannot get between us and God.

i) 38. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

d) Thus is set forth the spiritual and eternal perfection of the believer's standing in Christ.

e) By forming the conclusive answer to the question, and giving us the positive assurance (though in a negative form), it seems as though the number ten is of more weight than seven when thus used together. It is so in 2Chronicles 2, where, in verse 7, Solomon sends to Hiram for a cunning workman, and seven particulars are specified; and in verse 14 a man is sent and his qualifications are enumerated in ten particulars. A more important illustration will be found in the book of Hebrews.